[Klug-general] Kent Digest, Vol 464, Issue 1

[Karl Buckland]

My assumption would be that many companies don't ship the drivers because
Linux is a tiny fraction of their market and it doesn't make commercial
sense for them to do so. I can't blame them for this really. I can instead
choose to not buy their product though.

While I understand that it's frustrating that Linux isn't supported better
by many of these companies, arguably Samsung is not at fault here anyway. A
company doesn't have to make a product to suit you, or anyone else. They
can make a product exclusively for Windows or Mac if they like.

Forcing a company to do anything (other than comply with the law) seems
particularly against competition and a free market, if you ask me.

As Brian has pointed out, Samsung do have a unified driver, which also
works fine for my laser printer too. So I'm not quite sure what the issue
is here specifically anyway?

On 23 September 2014 07:16, Thomas Edward Groves <teg451013 at freeuk.com>
wrote:

> So why can't someone who can *force* answers ask the printer manufacturers
> (Samsung, are you listening?) to explain *honestly* why they don't
> ship CUPS compatible drivers with their products?
>
> This whole driver problem is purely down to the makers of peripherals
> and their bleat of "Linux is a niche market" is just evasion.
>
> I'd like to see one of those Competition Commissioners in Brussels
> start banging heads together.
> Why aren't they?
>
> Sorry about the tone but there are too many people with lots of power
> who simply won't use it for some reason.
>
> Tom
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Brian Reay <brian.reay at gmail.com>
> To: Kent Linux User Group - General Topics <kent at mailman.lug.org.uk>
> Sent: Monday, September 22, 2014 4:38 PM
> Subject: Re: [Klug-general] Kent Digest, Vol 464, Issue 1
>
>
> > True.
> >
> > But, don't forget things like printers, video cards, etc. Not all have
> > drivers which are 'nice' to install for Linux (a point Linus T
> > acknowledges). People like us recognise that isn't really a true Linux
> > issue, it is the vendors who don't supply the information or develop
> > drivers, or we can find drivers and install them via the command line
> > etc. However, your average Windows/MacOS user expects them to either to
> > just 'be there', come with the printer, or be available from the makers
> > website. Suggest he/she needs to open a terminal, type (to him/her) a
> > load of 'black magic nonsense' and chances are they will reach for the
> > Windows 8 CD (Yuk).
> >
> > We like the 'black magic' but, most users don't. They just want a
> > machine to do a 'job', they don't 'get off' on the 'black magic' (so to
> > speak), they are odd. ;-) Worst of all, many are beyond hope odd, they
> > think Windows 8 is good.
> >
> > Brian
> >
> >
> > On 22/09/14 15:24, Gavin Coles wrote:
> > > The way to get people in to Linux is a long term issue, the best way
> for
> > > my own experience to start with software that has cross platform
> > > availability.  So Firefox, Thunderbird, LibreOffice and like.  Once you
> > > can show that everything they need for their day to day use is
> available
> > > on another platform they they are more willing to try dropping Windows.
> > >
> > > On 22/09/14 15:15, kent-request at mailman.lug.org.uk wrote:
> > >> Don't forget the issue of the average user (employee). They will
> almost
> > >> certainly use Windows Applications at home, or have come from
> employers
> > >> which use them, or educational establishments which taught them.
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
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> > Kent at mailman.lug.org.uk
> > https://mailman.lug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/kent
>
>
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